Lines 2910-2951:
Now war is looming
over our nation, soon it will be known
to Franks and Frsians, far and wide,
that the king is gone. Hostility has been great
among the Franks since Hygelac sailed forth
at the head of a war-fleet into Friesland:
there the Hetware harried and attacked
and overwhelmed him with great odds.
the leader in his war-gear was laid low,
fell amongst followers; that lord did not favour
his company with spoils. The Merovingian king
has been an enemy to us ever since.
“Nor do I expect peace of pact-keeping
of any sort from the Swedes. Remember:
at Ravenswood, Ongentheow
slaughtered Haethcyn, Hrethel’s son,
when the Geat people in their arrogance
first attacked teh fierce Shylfings.
the return blow was quickly struck
By Ohthere’s father. Old and terrible,
He felled the sea-king and saved his own
Aged wife, the mother of Onela
And of Ohthere, bereft of her gold rings.
Then he kept hard on the heels of the foe
And drove them, leaderless, lucky to get away,
In a desperate rout into Ravenswood.
His army surrounded the weary remnant
Where they nursed their wounds; all through the night
He howled threats at those huddled survivors,
Promised to axe their bodies open
When dawn broke, dangle them from gallows
To feed the birds, But at first light
When their spirits were lowest, relief arrived.
They heard the sound of Hygelac’s horn,
His trumpet calling as he came to find them,
The hero in pursuit, at hand with troops.
“The bloody swathe that Swedes and Geats
Cut through each other was everywhere.
No one could miss their murderous feuding.
Then the old man made his move,
Pulled back, barred his people in:
Ongentheow withdrew to higher ground.
Podcast Draft:
Paraphrase:
Now violence is spreading
Everywhere, and it will pull
Everyone, everywhere,
That the king is gone. Hatred has been great
Among all the races of the world because Hygelac
Gave them threat:
There the Hetware charged and attacked
And came back at him with balanced chances.
This warrior in his suit was laid down,
Where his followers were; that “lord” did not like
His people being leveled with him. The Merovingian king
Has been an enemy to us ever since.
“Nor do I expect a peace treaty
Of any sort from the Swedes. Remember:
At Ravenswood, Ongentheow
Killed Haethcyn, Hrethel’s so,
When the negligent Geat people
First attacked the powerful Shylfings.
The countered attack was quickly brought out
By Ohthere’s father. Old and weak,
He fought the sea-king and saved his own
Old wife, Onel’s mother
And also the mother of Ohthere, robbed by her gold rings.
Then he kept on the watch for his enemies
And killed their leader, while on the verge of loosing,
In a desperate path to Ravenswood.
His army surrounded the tired peace
Where the ill were treated; all through the night
He punished the leftover men,
Threatened to axe open their bodies
As soon as there was sunlight, hang them from the trees
And feed them to the birds, but at sunrise
When all of them were filled with anxiety, they were relieved.
They heard Hygelac’s horn,
His trumpet sound coming along with him,
The hero in pursuit, with the support of troops.
“The violent cover that Swedes and Geats
Had killed was laying everywhere.
No one could misunderstand their quarrel.
Then the old man made his move,
Pulled back, reunited his troops:
Ongentheow was raised to a higher position.
Now war is looming
over our nation, soon it will be known
to Franks and Frsians, far and wide,
that the king is gone. Hostility has been great
among the Franks since Hygelac sailed forth
at the head of a war-fleet into Friesland:
there the Hetware harried and attacked
and overwhelmed him with great odds.
the leader in his war-gear was laid low,
fell amongst followers; that lord did not favour
his company with spoils. The Merovingian king
has been an enemy to us ever since.
“Nor do I expect peace of pact-keeping
of any sort from the Swedes. Remember:
at Ravenswood, Ongentheow
slaughtered Haethcyn, Hrethel’s son,
when the Geat people in their arrogance
first attacked teh fierce Shylfings.
the return blow was quickly struck
By Ohthere’s father. Old and terrible,
He felled the sea-king and saved his own
Aged wife, the mother of Onela
And of Ohthere, bereft of her gold rings.
Then he kept hard on the heels of the foe
And drove them, leaderless, lucky to get away,
In a desperate rout into Ravenswood.
His army surrounded the weary remnant
Where they nursed their wounds; all through the night
He howled threats at those huddled survivors,
Promised to axe their bodies open
When dawn broke, dangle them from gallows
To feed the birds, But at first light
When their spirits were lowest, relief arrived.
They heard the sound of Hygelac’s horn,
His trumpet calling as he came to find them,
The hero in pursuit, at hand with troops.
“The bloody swathe that Swedes and Geats
Cut through each other was everywhere.
No one could miss their murderous feuding.
Then the old man made his move,
Pulled back, barred his people in:
Ongentheow withdrew to higher ground.
Podcast Draft:
Paraphrase:
Now violence is spreading
Everywhere, and it will pull
Everyone, everywhere,
That the king is gone. Hatred has been great
Among all the races of the world because Hygelac
Gave them threat:
There the Hetware charged and attacked
And came back at him with balanced chances.
This warrior in his suit was laid down,
Where his followers were; that “lord” did not like
His people being leveled with him. The Merovingian king
Has been an enemy to us ever since.
“Nor do I expect a peace treaty
Of any sort from the Swedes. Remember:
At Ravenswood, Ongentheow
Killed Haethcyn, Hrethel’s so,
When the negligent Geat people
First attacked the powerful Shylfings.
The countered attack was quickly brought out
By Ohthere’s father. Old and weak,
He fought the sea-king and saved his own
Old wife, Onel’s mother
And also the mother of Ohthere, robbed by her gold rings.
Then he kept on the watch for his enemies
And killed their leader, while on the verge of loosing,
In a desperate path to Ravenswood.
His army surrounded the tired peace
Where the ill were treated; all through the night
He punished the leftover men,
Threatened to axe open their bodies
As soon as there was sunlight, hang them from the trees
And feed them to the birds, but at sunrise
When all of them were filled with anxiety, they were relieved.
They heard Hygelac’s horn,
His trumpet sound coming along with him,
The hero in pursuit, with the support of troops.
“The violent cover that Swedes and Geats
Had killed was laying everywhere.
No one could misunderstand their quarrel.
Then the old man made his move,
Pulled back, reunited his troops:
Ongentheow was raised to a higher position.